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Stephen H. "Steve" Garding
1949 - 2025
FUNERAL HOME
UPCOMING SERVICE
Stephen Garding Obituary
A memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 23, at Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Melrose with Pastor Larry Atkinson officiating. A private inurnment will be held at a later date. Military Honors will be provided by the Melrose Veterans Honor Guard. Visitation will be 4-7 p.m. Aug. 22 and 10-11 a.m. Aug. 23 at the funeral home. A prayer service will be at 4 p.m. Aug. 22 at the funeral home.
Stephen Herman Garding was born Oct. 7, 1949, in St. Martin Township, Stearns County, Minnesota, to Nicholas and Magdalene (Bueckers) Garding. Steve graduated from Albany High School in 1967. He served in the U.S. Army and was honorably discharged in 1968. He was united in marriage to Mary Kay Holthaus Nov. 18, 1972, at Seven Dolors Catholic Church in Albany. Steve lived to drive truck. After high school, he hauled milk cans and later graduated to driving bulk truck for St. Martin Creamery. In 1973, Steve worked at Joe's Trucking until 2006 when he started working for Willow Trucking in Freeport. He was forced to retire in 2022 due to illness but not before logging over six million miles during his career.
Steve loved camping in Montana, four-wheeling, hunting and fishing and loved spending time with his family.
Survivors include his loving wife of 52 years, Mary Kay Garding, of Freeport; daughter Robin Garding of Freeport; grandchildren Cheyanne (Cody) Lineburg, Elisha Duckson, Jocelyn Garding and Avery Garding; brother and sisters Tillie Gilk of Albany, Marie Garding of St. Cloud, Joe (Janice) Garding of Albany and Helen (Donnie) Van Drehle of Melrose.
Steve was preceded in death by his parents; son Craig Garding Jan. 12, 2021; and sisters Doreen Ebensteiner and Adeline Boecker.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to CentraCare Hospice.
Arrangements were made with Patton-Schad Funeral and Cremation Services of Freeport.
"Our Country is in Mourning, A Veteran Died Today."
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
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Patton-Schad Funeral Home - Freeport109 Second Avenue NE, Freeport, MN 56331
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